


Hungering Forest

by SenkiroWolf



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Amnesia, Beware the Forest, Body Horror, Bottom Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Cults, Lovecraftian, M/M, Mystery, Temporary Break Up, Top Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, based on the Tanis podcast
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:22:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22917667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SenkiroWolf/pseuds/SenkiroWolf
Summary: He had disappeared.For almost four years.And he had no idea how or why, or if he wanted to, when he did. But why would he want to? He loved Jack more than anything in his life. Why would he leave him with no explanation?
Relationships: Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison
Comments: 10
Kudos: 60





	1. Gone

**Author's Note:**

> Heeey Been meaning to write this fucking thing for like 2 years and finally got around to it. If you haven't listened to the Tanis podcast you definitely should. This is loosely based on it with just more gay. Hope y'all enjoy. I'll hopefully finish the rest soon.
> 
> vgsfshade6116 was my wonderful beta ♡♡♡  
> clockpunkgamelover is their tumblr

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.

-

H.P. Lovecraft

* * *

Early morning light streamed through the curtains. Gabriel Reyes stirred on his bed and squinted. What time was it? It seemed he had woken up later than usual, and groping at the other side of the bed, he didn’t find the familiar warmth of his husband.

The man yawned and sat up, finding that the only clothes he was in were his usual jogging shorts. "What the hell? Jack?" 

No response. He frowned. Maybe his husband was out at the store?

He shrugged off his uneasiness and decided to shower. Right away he noticed something odd: some of his things were missing. His hair products were still there, but not his toothbrush. He hoped Jack didn't mind him using his.

The water felt amazing running down his body as he washed himself. Weirdly it felt as though it had been years since he’d had a nice shower like this, and Gabriel was soaking up every damn second of it.

Twenty minutes later he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his waist. As he opened the door, he felt his body duck of its own accord, a baseball bat swing barely missing his head. "What the fuck, Jack?!"

The wide-eyed blond stared at Gabriel and stumbled backwards. His legs hit the bed and he sat down."Gabe? Is that you?"

"Of course it's me! Who the fuck else would it be?" The older man exclaimed, bewildered that his husband was acting like this.

"You...it's…" Jack suddenly started gasping for air, sobbing into his hands as the panic attack took over.

Gabriel rushed over and held his husband as he cried. "Jackie? Baby what's wrong?" He yelped as he was pushed away.

"Don't! Just don't! You disappear for almost four fucking years?! And then you just show up out of nowhere? What the fuck is wrong with you?!" The blond screamed.

Gabriel stared at his husband. "I've...what? What are you talking about?"

The room was silent for a few heartbeats. Gabriel was sure he could hear Jack's heart beating unnaturally fast.

"Three and a half years ago you went for a run and never came back. Are you implying that you know nothing?"

He chose his words carefully. "Yesterday, I left home to go on my usual run. I...don't really remember coming home but I remember waking up in our bed."

Jack turned his back on Gabriel and started pacing the room. He mumbled to himself, and it took a few moments before he turned back to his husband. "What day do you think it is?"

"Sunday."

"The whole date."

He pondered for a moment. "April...14th? 2030."

"Gabriel, it's October 11th, 2033."

"I...what?" The man stumbled back and sat on the bed, right where Jack had been.

Jack handed him his phone. "The date is right there Gabriel."

He just stared at the date right in front of his eyes. Nearly four years? What had happened to him? He didn’t remember. He just remembered going out for a run, into the forest because it calmed him and then...nothing. No other memories until he woke up in this bed. "I...what happened to me Jackie?"

Jack stared at him, eyes watering again. "I don't know Gabe. But I wished you'd come home sooner."

Gabriel watched him quietly. "You found someone else." It wasn't a question. He had always been good at reading Jack.

"I thought you were dead! I mourned you for three years. I was starting to accept that I'd never find your body." Jack turned away from his husband. "And here you appear out of nowhere."

"You weren't here when I woke up." Gabriel rubbed his face. He had been missing for years. His husband was dating someone else and his job was definitely gone. What the fuck could he do?

"I was at Vincent's place." Jack whispered. "I...we need to report that you're alive to the police. You can stay here of course. It was yours."

"Ours. It was ours, Jack." Gabriel stood and dug around in some of his old drawers. Looked like Jack hadn't gotten rid of most of his things. He tugged on some of his clothes, finding that they fit a bit more snugly than they should.

Jack just walked to the front door, stomach doing flips. He didn't know what to do.

\---

Proving that you were missing and not dead was really fucking hard apparently. The cops bombarded him with questions about where he had been. He had no idea how many times he could repeat "I don't know" before his head would explode.

Jack stood in a corner, averting his eyes from the sight of Gabriel going through the cops’ questions and prodding. Eventually the cops gave up, giving him the information he needed so he could go about proving he was not dead to the rest of the world.

He approached his husband. "Okay. So. I have so much bullshit to do." Gabriel was trying to act like everything was normal, not very easy since he knew Jack had someone else now.

Jack nodded slowly, slowly dragging his eyes up to Gabriel's face. He didn't ask what the cops had been asking him, even though he desperately wanted to. _Where were you? Are you telling me the truth?_

The next twenty minutes were a blur as Jack drove them back to their...his apartment. He hung up his keys and walked toward the balcony. "I need to use the phone." He left Gabe inside as he went to call his boyfriend.

Gabriel just stood in the living room, not knowing what he should do. His home didn't look too different, most of his things were still up. Jack didn't have the heart to remove much... 

Where had he been? Why didn't he remember anything except for his run? What had he been doing for three and a half years?

The man rubbed his face and walked towards his computer. It was a little dusty from disuse, but it still worked. He turned it on and checked his emails. A shit ton of spam, journalists who apparently had already sniffed out his story and wanted an interview, and emails from years ago about more important things at the time.

He sighed until he heard a little ding and a new email pop up. It was a blank subject line so he was tempted to just delete it, but he felt something stir inside of him.

He clicked it open.

_'I know where you were.'_

Five simple words that held a world full of weight.

Gabriel felt as though he would suffocate from reading that sentence over and over. Before he knew it, he was typing a response. _'Who is this? How do you know? Where was I?'_ He was sending it before his brain even caught up.

He heard the balcony door slide open and he slapped his laptop shut. Jack stood there, his eyes red. "I um...Your phone was missing too. We should get you a temporary one." He was obviously avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah." He stood. "Jack, I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened. If I did, I would tell you. I would never leave you like that willingly." He tried to soothe Jack, but the blond just seemed to tear up more and rubbed his face, sniffling.

"Let's just go Gabe. We can talk about it later."

\---

Jack left that night as Gabriel stayed in the apartment. He didn't know what to do. Jack left him here alone to go sleep in the bed of another man and it set his blood boiling. But he couldn't really blame Jack.

He had disappeared.

For almost four years.

And he had no idea how or why, or if he wanted to, when he did. But why would he want to? He loved Jack more than anything in his life. Why would he leave him with no explanation?

Gabriel sat on the couch, head in his hands as he finally felt the weight settle on him. He sobbed hysterically as he sunk into the couch.

It was only when he heard the familiar ding of his email that he slowly reigned in his emotions and checked.

_'The forest decided to let you go. I want to know why.'_


	2. Information

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The Navigator?" Gabriel shook his head. "Who the hell is she? Why me?"
> 
> "Because you have escaped its grasp. Without major adverse side effects."
> 
> "You mean I haven't gone nuts and killed people."
> 
> "More or less." The person grabbed a small piece of paper and handed it to Gabriel. "If you decide you want answers like we do, please call." With that they walked away.
> 
> Gabriel stared down at the "business card" and furrowed his brows. It was just a number and a name. Moira O'Deorain.

_'The forest decided to let you go. I want to know why.'_

What the fucking hell did that mean?

_'What the fuck does that mean? Who is this?'_

Gabriel rubbed his face for what seemed like the thousandth time. He was so fucking exhausted.

The laptop screen lit up and made a cheery ringtone as he got a call on it. He was bewildered, his computer didn't have any apps like that on it. 

He answered.

A small sugar skull caricature popped up on the screen. "Hello there, Gabriel Reyes."

"Who the fuck is this?"

"Just call me Sombra. No need to know my real name. All you need to know is that I can help you."

"How?" He bit his lip but crossed his arms defiantly.

"I know some relevant information about where you disappeared to...well probably not as much as either of us would like but I know enough information to get by."

"What do you mean by 'the forest decided to let me go'. What does that even mean?"

A small bout of silence. "This is going to sound crazy, but I swear this shit is true." Some windows opened on his laptop. "The forest is alive. Quite literally." They showed pictures of ancient drawings of the forest.

"Whoever lived here long before it was colonized knew about it and warned others not to enter. Of course when the white people came the natives were slaughtered and they built around here anyway." The screen changed to show hundreds of clippings of missing persons.

"People go into that forest and never come back. Some people who go in and come back out well…" More clippings but these headlines were about horrible murder suicides. "They went crazy and killed before killing themselves."

"Jesus fucking Christ." Gabriel stared at his computer screen. "Are you saying I'll go fucking crazy and kill people?"

"No...yes? Maybe. You seem fine right now. Usually people say that the anybody who does come back out seems...changed. Like they were replaced by someone else." She hummed over the line. "You could ask your husband if you seem different."

"He's...not here right now." The man cleared his throat awkwardly. At least this crazy talk was keeping him distracted from where Jack was.

There was a long pause. "There is something worse than whatever is up with the forest."

"How could anything be worse?"

"Well I know there's a cult that kinda sniffs around stuff about it."

"Okay now I know this is a fucking prank. Cults? Are you fucking kidding me?" Gabriel scoffed and stood up. "Thanks but I need to get my life back together and try to win my husband back." He slammed the laptop shut, hard enough to crack it. 

He paced the apartment for a good ten minutes before just walking to his bedroom and stripping out of his clothes.

Gabriel pulled the covers over himself and stared at the empty space next to him. He trailed his hand over where his husband should be and let out a shuddering breath.

What had happened? All he wanted was his husband, his Jack, back.

\---

It had been about a week or so when he noticed them. He had been spending a lot of his time contacting government agencies to prove he was in fact alive and okay. Luckily they hadn't declared him dead yet.

Jack visited but they didn't kiss or give affection. It was obviously hard for the younger man to realize his husband was here when he had started moving on.

What was he supposed to do? Break up with his boyfriend and run back into the arms of a man who still didn't know why he went missing?

Gabriel went out some days to just destress. He went on walks but made sure to steer clear of the woods. It was during this time he had noticed that his haircut hadn't changed at all, which was extremely odd.

He tried to shake off all the weird feelings of his experiences, but then he realized he was being followed. Could’ve been a reporter, but Gabriel had a strong suspicion it wasn’t.

Gabriel's phone dinged and he glanced at it. _'They're following you. I told you there was a cult.'_ The hairs on the back of his neck rose.

Gabriel remained calm and kept walking, keeping his pace relaxed. He turned down an alleyway and ducked behind a dumpster. Footsteps followed, but faltered when he disappeared from sight. Slow steps approached and when they were close, Gabriel lunged, pinning the stalker against the wall. "Who the fuck are you?"

The stranger raised their hands in defense. "Please don't hurt me! We just want to talk with you."

Gabriel frowned and lowered his raised fist. "Talk before I change my mind." 

"Thank you. The Navigator wants to meet with you." They smiled at him. "She wants to study the forest, and she believes you can help."

"The Navigator?" Gabriel shook his head. "Who the hell is she? Why me?"

"Because you have escaped its grasp. Without major adverse side effects."

"You mean I haven't gone nuts and killed people."

"More or less." The person grabbed a small piece of paper and handed it to Gabriel. "If you decide you want answers like we do, please call." With that they walked away.

Gabriel stared down at the "business card" and furrowed his brows. It was just a number and a name. _Moira O'Deorain_.

\---

Jack was at the apartment when he returned. He looked panicked until he saw Gabe walking in. He’d probably thought he had disappeared for good this time.

"Where did you go?"

"I was just on a walk. It's kind of stressful having four years pass without my knowledge."

The younger man looked guilty. "I'm sorry I haven't been helping you manage that stress."

Gabriel spotted an empty suitcase on the bed. "Going somewhere?" He groused, still bitter about Jack having someone else.

"No, actually. I told Vincent that I needed to be here to help you adjust." He bit his lip. "I'm not saying I'm leaving Vince. I still don't know what to do Gabe, and I'm sorry."

"It's understandable, Jackie. I was gone. You thought I was never coming back. I won't say I'm not mad, I am, but I understand."

Jack sighed softly. "Okay. Thank you for that." He gave a strained smile.

"So...supper?" Gabriel sheepishly smiled, and Jack laughed, nodding in agreement.

\---

Jack was fast asleep in the guest room. Gabriel watched his husband snore softly and wanted so bad to sleep next to him, but he resisted the urge and quietly shut the door before walking to his bedroom.

Gabriel stripped down and lay in bed, staring at the ceiling when his phone buzzed.

_'I'm assuming you're still alive?'_

He scoffed and texted back. _'Okay. So there's people besides you who are interested. Doesn't make them a cult.'_

_'Uh-huh. Just wait. Do you plan on taking them up on their offer?'_

He frowned. How did she know? _'Why? I thought you'd tell me I should stay away or not trust them.'_

_'Oh you definitely shouldn't trust them. But we may be able to get information out of them.'_

Gabriel snickered. _'We?'_

_'I am along for this ride now, bitch. I can get you out of trouble if you need it. Plus I'm an expert hacker if you couldn't tell. You need me.'_

_'Alright. I'm in. Let's figure this fucking forest out.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 doooone Thank fuck. Anyway have fun trying to figure this out Gabe.
> 
> Beta is clockpunkgamelover on tumblr  
> vgsfshade6116 on ao3


	3. Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Okay so, that was the crazy bitch from the cult."
> 
> "She really didn't seem that...culty. Crazy, maybe but not culty."
> 
> "Leaders never seem that way because they usually have brains and they won't fall into the same trap that people fall into when getting involved with cults. Good to know what she looks like in person though."

_ Gabriel finished hauling the stone towards the monument. Setting it down, he watched a woman turn to him and speak, but nothing came out. He nodded to the woman, who started carving into said stone, and she continued speaking to him with no audible sound.  _

_ He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, and they bantered back and forth for a couple minutes before freezing. There was a dark presence. Darkness seemed to leech into their surroundings as they rushed into her home and locked the door. _

_ They looked at each other just as the front door slammed open and pure darkness spilled in. It wrapped around Gabriel, and the silence was finally broken with his screams. _

\---

Gabriel shot up in bed with a shout. He panted heavily and held his chest, feeling his heart beat rapidly.

"Gabe?!" Jack ran into the room. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He panted. "Just….a nightmare?" Was it a nightmare? It felt like a memory. He shivered and rubbed his arms, suddenly freezing.

"Jeez. I'm sorry Gabe." He sat next to his husband and rubbed his back. The elder man just leaned into the other's touch, soothed by his presence.

"Thanks Jackie." He murmured softly, relishing the warmth of his husband. The pair stared at each other a moment before Gabriel leaned in, just as Jack pulled away.

"I'm going to shower and make breakfast." The blond quickly stood and shuffled away.

Gabriel sighed and flopped back onto the bed. Another week had passed. He and Jack seemed to be falling back into old routines, minus the sex and affection.

About an hour later Gabriel was stepping out of the shower to the smell of Jack's famous waffles. He quickly dried off and rushed to the kitchen to devour his husband's delicious food. Seeing Jack in his 'Raise the Steaks' apron sent a jolt of longing through him. 

The pair chatted lightly as they ate. "How goes the job search?"

Gabriel groaned. "Explaining to people that; 'Yes I am  _ that _ Gabriel Reyes' or 'I was missing for three and a half years' gets so fucking tedious."

Jack snickered just a little. "Your patience never grew apparently." He finished his food and grabbed both their dishes to clean them. 

Soft humming filled the apartment as Jack cleaned up. Gabriel watched his husband and stood, walking over and wrapping his arms around him. "I've missed you so much Jackie."

Jack tensed up but slowly relaxed against Gabriel. "I've missed you too Gabe, I just…"

"I know. You have someone else, but does he make you feel like you do with me?" Jack bit his lip and looked to Gabriel, examining his face before leaning in and kissing his husband.

Gabriel melted as their lips touched, fingers gripping Jack's hips, pulling him closer.

The pair slowly pulled away, Jack's cheeks flushed. "I'm not ready for more yet but...I'll talk to Vincent."

The older man's heart soared at those words and he touched their forehands together. "Thank you Jackie."

\---

Gabriel sat in the coffee shop, waiting. He was supposed to meet Sombra for the first time but she was late. He sighed and sipped his frappuccino, glancing around the place; he didn't know what she looked like.

"Hello Gabriel." Someone sat across from him and he looked up. The woman had red hair and her eyes were different colors. "So good to finally meet you. I hear that you made it out of the forest relatively intact."

That was not Sombra's voice.

She held out her hand. "Moira O'Deorain."

Gabriel reached out and slowly shook her hand. "Gabriel Reyes."

She nodded curtly. "Good, good. I would like you to come to my lab. I need to take some samples."

"Excuse me?"

"I need to see if your body chemistry is different than that of people who have not been in the forest."

"You're real straightforward."

"I don't find small talk useful in my line of work. I'm a scientist, Mr. Reyes. I do research and expect results."

Gabriel felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise. He did not like this woman. She seemed dangerous and calculating, like she was always ten steps ahead of everyone.

He nodded slowly. "Alright. But it will have to be another day. I have a husband to get back home to."

She made a face but nodded. "You have my card." With that she was up and striding out of the coffee shop.

"Well she was pleasant." Gabriel nearly jumped out of his seat as he turned to a woman with dyed hair and wearing a purple hoodie.

"Sombra?"

"One and only. Come on. Can't trust this place anymore since she's been here."

The pair walked out of the cafe and Sombra led them through the city like she thought they were being followed. They arrived at an apartment building, and she dragged the man up to her apartment.

"This is one of my safe houses. Can't trust anyone." She tossed her hoodie at the coat hook, missing, and flopped onto the couch. "Okay so, that was the crazy bitch from the cult."

"She really didn't seem that...culty. Crazy, maybe but not culty."

"Leaders never seem that way because they usually have brains and they won't fall into the same trap that people fall into when getting involved with cults. Good to know what she looks like in person though."

Gabriel huffed and sat on the couch as well. "Alright, so should I take her up on her offer?"

"Yes. But I'm going to put a tracker on you. I don't want her kidnapping you." She typed away on her laptop. "This woman is dangerous. Others who came out of the forest have had contact with her and they've disappeared, and with how she was talking, they didn't keep their sanity for long."

"But she didn't say anything about anyone else."

"Exactly, which leads me to believe that they either escaped from her or they went crazy and died."

Gabriel shivered. He didn't like the sound of this. "Fuck, I just want to live a normal life with my husband."

"If that was true, you would have never contacted me again."

He felt hot shame wash through him. He did want that. He really did, but the mystery was also eating him alive. Gabriel wanted the truth.

"Fine. What are you typing?"

"I slipped a tracker on her. Need to put one on you too." She tapped away and went quiet.

Gabriel stood and looked around the rather scraped-together apartment. There were no photos, no wall art, and barely any furniture. "You don't really live here do you?"

"It's one of my safehouses. It's not my main apartment, no." She glanced up from her work. "Sombra isn't my real name either, but you need to earn that shit."

Gabriel rolled his eyes and looked back over at her. "Alright Miss Bond, am I supposed to be doing something?"

"Not really. Just needed you to be here physically for some stuff. You can go home now. This safehouse won't be here after you leave though, so keep contacting me through your phone. I'm researching some more stuff on the forest."

"Alright, see you I guess." He waved and left the building.

\---

He was standing in front of the forest’s edge. His reverie was broken with the sound of his phone ringing. Gabriel snapped it out of his pocket. "Hello?"

"Gabe? You almost home? Dinner is almost ready." He heard his husband's deep voice.

"Oh, yeah. I'll be just a few minutes Jackie. "

"Okay. See you soon." The phone hung up.

Gabriel stared at the screen. The last thing he remembered was leaving Sombra's safehouse. How did he get here? It was three when he left. It was seven now. What the hell had happened in those four hours?

He looked back to the forest and quickly ran to his car.

_ Come back to us Gabriel. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wheeew. Quarantine sucks my man. I'm sick so that makes it worse. Hope you enjoy.
> 
> vgsfshade6116 was my wonderful beta ♡♡♡  
> clockpunkgamelover is their tumblr


End file.
